Public invited to forum on future of passenger rail

The Times Union and WAMC/Northeast Public Radio will present a forum on Wednesday, July 7, to further explore the future of rail passenger industry and its potential impact on the Capital Region.

The panel discussion, open to the public, will be hosted by WAMC’s Joe Donahue, the host of WAMC’s daily Roundtable morning program. Moderating the panel will be Eric Anderson, Times Union business editor who has written extensively on the topic of rail transportation.

The panel will pull together representatives from the industry and present the historical perspective. Panelists include: Bruce Becker, president of the Empire State Passengers Association, and P. Thomas Carroll, executive director of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway.

The program will be recorded for future broadcast on WAMC and will take place at the Linda Norris Auditorium, WAMC’s performing arts studio, 339 Central Ave., Albany.

Organizations dedicated to the history and expansion of railroads will be invited and members of the public are welcome to attend and to bring photos and related rail memorabilia to display after the formal panel discussion.

It is free to the public. Seating is limited and the audience must arrive by 1:45 p.m. To reserve a seat, call The Linda box office at 465-5233, ext. 4.

See below for recent stories from the Times Union on the efforts to to promote high-speed passenger rail in NY.